Requiem To Visif
by Easton
Summary: The tale of a man who had to earn the right to live. In a barbaric land one must become barbaric!


Requiem to Visif and Kellena  
  
Visif was not big nor was he extremely beautiful. He stands about 5'9" weighting only 179 lbs. His jet-black hair and shadowy eyes did attract the ladies of Ishau but he belonged to only one woman. His friend and partner Kellena. His name was known by all the people in Ishau, for his deeds in battle spoke for him. He was this cities protector, Guardian of life in all of Ishau. His blade would defend that province for all time.  
Visif's sword stokes were powerful and fast, just as he had trained for. Vis was a member of Ishau's forest knights. His mission was to explore the forests with his team to find and kill any threat to the nearby city. Trained in the way of the wood and on only his fifth patrol the excitement was high. No patrol ever escaped without an attack or six. Vis's team was made up of five members, life long friends. Vis's trainer and mentor Collis, a fine "Warrior for Ishau"; Senten, a good fighter and semi adept in the ways of magic; Ralis, quickest elf in all of Chult but kept as a slave by Collis; and Kellena, the healer of the group her clerical abilities saved their lives more often then any of the members swords. Patrols lasted a week and seldom went a day without being noticed by some form of lizard or ooze. Fighting was their way of life. This patrol was famous for never having lost a member. Vis was the newest addition and the least skills on the team but his sword was needed.  
Four days had passed and without sight of one marauding group of lizards or kobalds. The entire group was on edge and not without cause when any group went longer than a day without sight of at least one enemy it seemed something was amiss. Collis was well aware his group's fame didn't only derive from the lack of lost warriors but every time they entered the city they had the heads of at least one war band. Collis grew nervous for in a mere day they would have to travel back to town. The hunt would begin! Vis was to take the lead for the first time. They traveled deep into the night and about when they wanted to give up it happened. A Beast as big as any dragon appeared. It frothed at the mouth and spit razor edges of rock a great distance. Its body glowed a deep maroon tint. Vis charged the creature longsword drawn. The creature seemed slow and docile but when Vis's sword stuck it sparks flew everywhere, every spark that his Vis's body burned agony into his flesh. Collin was right behind him determined to have the creature's head. The fight seemed brief and with very little damage done to the creature in the end. In the first few seconds the beast ripped its powerful jaw into Vis and Senten leaving just the heap of Sentens' once used body on the forest floor. Ralis was next to fall, the demonic animals jaw flew open and displaying it's great reach traveled some thirty feet. Ralis was no more than a skin of a man his muscle like jelly sucked up through a straw in a very short time. Kellena's magic was of no use if everyone died upon first hit. It seemed that only a fraction of a minute had passed when Vis was regaining his senses. All he was aware enough to see was Collis caught in a whirl of metal blades flying from the beasts' mouth. As Collis fell he muttered a phrase no one who knew him expected to hear.  
"We are not the warriors we should have been and Tharrd Harr has forsaken us for our pompous attitude this day. We are no more friends"  
Vis should not have been able to hear it for the beast was still trampling trees and spewing metal from its mouth. Vis heard it all too well but the words only enraged him. Vis flew headlong into the beast recognizing that only he and Kellena where left alive. Vis was ready for his death and it would be honorable.  
He peeled his eyelids back from his blood-drenched face. Taking in all the light of day, his eyes burned with the pain all his body was experiencing. He pulled himself to his feet searching the contents of his pouch for his potions. All was lost for the liquid was no more than water. Vis examined his surroundings, he reached back in his memory was this an illusion or was it the undeniable truth. His body wrenching with pain and mind full of fear he remembered. Kellena had healed his wounds to the best of her ability before falling at his feet. Vis was torn with anger and sadness, he loved Kellena and wanted more than anything to be with her but that thing took her away. His mentor telling him he had been forsaken gave him the loss of hope he now experienced. A single tear dripped down onto Kellena's body but before the full on power of emotion could hit him Vis saw that she drew breath. Vis carried her to the edge of the newly created clearing and set her in a dry place. After finding the rest of his team he went back to Kellena and picked her up. Vis knew he had a long journey ahead and did not know for how long he had lay there clinging to life. They where the only two left.  
Vis's visions of party and celebration where dampened when those that greeted him at the gates where his long time fans and admirer but their eyes where filled with hate and despair. Vis found that instead of a triumphant return he was awarded with hate for it was said that he and Kellena ran from their friends and left them for dead. Vis was all but a hero. His former status of second in command had dropped to that of a commoner not to be trusted. With Kellena in hand he set off for the temple. Upon entering the temple his long time friend and admirer greeted him. Lasris, the great cleric of Tharrd Harr, was to forbid him from healing with the temples magic. That god forsook them. Lasris's eyes filled with pity and despair but for him to heal them would be blasphemy. Vis fell to his knees to weak to continue to move. As Lasris's last favor he gave them sanctuary for one more night. The next day both of them, half dead, where strapped to the judgment platform and tried by the city elders. The elders found Visif Elkandar and Kellena Disrothin guilty of treason and blaspheme, they where to leave the city and never return until they had proof of their acts in that fated battle. Vis and Kel were forced to the outer walls with only breaths of life left in them. Vis was broken, as broken as any one man can be, and forsaken by the gods. Kel was not even conscious enough to comprehend all of what happened. Vis helped Kel and together they left the city and headed into the woods along the coast. They traveled for days the coastal waters of Chult keeping the dark creatures away from their location.  
Many days of travel and adventure met them before their first sight of any civilization. With the heads of their latest kills in hand and a new outlook on life Vis and Kel approached the city. Yuan-ti had been attacking them for days and they had their fair share of the heads. Vis and Kel where surprised to find that they were welcomed into the city with open arms and offered a large sum of gold for the heads of the Yuan-ti warriors. Vis and Kel exchanged the heads and then booked passage further away from their homeland. Calimport was the destination and it was a good journey by sea.  
The waters gave Vis and Kel a much-needed break and they met a very interesting man on the voyage. He told them that he could remove the curse of a forsaken god and give Kel her divine power back, maybe even with more vigor than before. For the three months on board, this man taught Vis and Kel of a god most gods feared and respected. Talos was to be the new worship of the lost souls. Vis took to prayer every morning and found he was blessed with a peaceful journey and a powerful reputation. Kel found he powers of divine where coming back in full and kept the boat in fine repair.  
Vis and Kel said their goodbyes to the traveler who taught them of Talos and set off on their journey. Kel had been given a map to the nearest temple in Athkatla. Kel set off toward the temple with Vis at her side. The two found this road much more peaceful then the home roads of Chult. An occasional traveler would pass but critters where few and far between. Kel reached her goal of the Temple of Talos and took her place among the clerical ranks. Vis found himself restless and in need of adventure for his life was founded on fighting. Kel took good care of him and they loved one another but Vis recognized he would have to set off on the road yet again in search of his peace. Kel wished him well and they promised to meet again one day soon. If Vis did not return in a year it was a divine mission for Kel to seek him out.  
Thus Visif set out on his journey letting nothing stand in his way. His greatest pleasure was hearing the stories of his home in the occasional pub. The old man who told him of Talos was surely very proud to have met a man who ventured into the woods of Chult and lived to tell the tale. Visif never spoke or interrupted, but if some unlucky wanderer did Visif quietly put an end to his chatter. Visif still journeys to hear his tale told time and time again in all the cities of Faerun. He will return to Kellena as soon as time permits as well but until then he will hone his skill with the sword along his path. 


End file.
